Transport

Creating cleaner, safer, smarter and more resilient transport systems

The UK transport sector is under growing pressure to decarbonise, improve safety, increase resilience and deliver better outcomes for passengers and freight. But complexity, risk and market barriers can slow the adoption of new technologies and innovation at scale.

We help transport organisations and high-potential businesses overcome barriers to innovation by validating emerging technologies in real-world and highly regulated infrastructure environments, accelerating the deployment of proven solutions across the transport sector.

By connecting industry, innovators, investors and government, we help scale proven transport solutions that improve performance, productivity and long-term sustainability across the UK transport system.

£698 million

raised in private investment by supported SMEs since 2019.

26

trials delivered for the Department for Transport in FY24-25 alone.

£30 million

in actualised cost-savings for HS2 as a result from our accelerators.

Live testbeds

delivered using active airports and rail stations for trialling new solutions.

Driving change in transport

We support the UK transport sector to test, validate and scale innovation across rail, aviation, highways, maritime and integrated transport systems.

Explore case studies on recent projects driving change in the transport industry, including:

Decarbonising the 1.6 billion tonnes of annual UK freight
Awarding £60,000 grants to innovators using AI in transport
Unlocking £50m in savings with HS2

Download the report

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Our services

Connected Places Catapult is a proven delivery partner for transport operators, infrastructure owners, government and high-potential SMEs.

We help identify, test and scale solutions that improve transport performance, sustainability and operational resilience.

Our services for transport industry organisations and SMEs include:

Horizon scanning, market analysis and innovation opportunity assessments

Identifying and removing non-technical barriers to innovation

De-risking emerging technologies through validation and real-world testing

Supporting the commercialisation of emerging transport technologies

Guidance on navigating the regulatory landscape and procurement challenges

Accelerating deployment and improving delivery efficiency

Get in touch

Our focus areas

Rail

Aviation

Maritime

Highways and Integrated Transport

We have an imperative to transform the transport sector – creating systems that are more sustainable, reliable, safe and accessible to all. At Connected Places Catapult, we collaborate with the entire transport ecosystem to catalyse change.

Sameer Savani, Transport Managing Director,

Connected Places Catapult

Scaling SME growth

We work directly with high potential transport businesses in the UK to support growth and commercialisation through our projects and programmes, which aim to:

Help SMEs turn potential into performance
Reduce risk so individual businesses can scale
Support SMEs to compete in real markets

Explore SME growth stories

Article

Meet the innovator scaling a business to make roads and sites safer

Concern with zebra crossing safety led one entrepreneur to take his technology idea from Powerpoint to product in under a year, with support from Connected Places Catapult.

Article

Digital construction firm eyes US expansion after latest investment

Geospatial AI company Sensat has just announced a £3m investment raise to further develop its product and grow the business in new markets, after participating in Connected Places Catapult-led programmes.

Recent projects

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Project

Zero Emission Airports (ZEA)

Decarbonising airport operations and developing the infrastructure to support zero-emission flight

Live open calls

Opportunity

Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator 2026 – Cohort 5

The Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator will support up to 12 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to develop a trial to test their solution in real-world environments to help solve pressing challenges within the freight sector.

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Opportunity

The Ideas Elevator – Maritime Decarbonisation

This pilot programme is for disruptive, very early-stage and exciting ideas and concepts that may alter the future landscape of clean maritime and have the potential to lead to radical change. It is open to SMEs and academics.

Opportunity

Smarter Transport Systems AI Competition

The Department for Transport (DfT), in collaboration with Connected Places Catapult, is seeking innovative AI solutions that can revolutionise transport, delivering faster, cleaner, and more affordable journeys for everyone.

Have you got an innovative pilot, project or solution?

View live open calls

Case studies

Case Study

Improving connectivity in rural communities

Connected Place Catapult delivered the Rural Transport Accelerator from November 2023 to March 2025 with nearly £2 million funding from the Department for Transport.

Case Study

Reducing slips, trips and falls with AI Technology at Bristol Temple Meads

Bristol Temple Meads (BTM) station sought innovative solutions to enhance passenger safety, particularly targeting slips, trips and falls associated with passengers carrying large items on the stairs within the station subway.

Case Study

Driving innovation with National Highways

National Highways has partnered with Connected Places Catapult to embrace innovation and address challenges of safety, innovation, and environmental sustainability.

Get in touch

Interested in collaborating with us to de-risk new technologies and solutions, and implement innovation at scale?

Get in touch

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Latest news

News

Search begins for innovators to make maritime operations greener

The new Ideas Elevator – Maritime Decarbonisation programme is set to support innovators with very early-stage business ideas in the maritime sector.

News

Chief Scientific Adviser celebrates five transport innovators

Exceptional start-up firms participating in the Transport Research and Innovation Grants programme were recognised at the Connected Places Summit.

News

Data Action Plan sets out a connected vision for transport

Unlocking data promises multiple benefits for the movement of people and goods, says Sam Rose of the Department for Transport, a platinum sponsor of the Connected Places Summit.

Collaborating with the Department for Transport

We work closely with the Department for Transport (DfT) to drive innovation and deliver transformative projects across the UK transport sector. Our partnership enables us to support cutting-edge research, develop new technologies, and create solutions that address the most pressing challenges in transport today.

Find out more about our partnership